We are officially two weeks into the new year. For those of you who made resolutions how are they going? For many of you, your resolutions have probably already slipped to the back burner. That’s okay. Don’t be so hard on yourself.

What is a resolution anyway?resolution |ˌrezəˈlo͞oSHən| noun1 a firm decision to do or not to do something: "she kept her resolution not to see Anne any more" | a New Year's resolution. • a formal expression of opinion or intention agreed on by a legislative body, committee, or other formal meeting, typically after taking a vote: the conference passed two resolutions. • the quality of being determined or resolute: "he handled the last French actions of the war with resolution".2 the action of solving a problem, dispute, or contentious matter: the peaceful resolution of all disputes | a successful resolution to the problem.

A resolution sounds so definite. It’s a hard word. But how about if you work on “goals”? Setting goals are much easier and gives one a little more leeway. Goals for me sounds like a soft word, more fluid.

goal |gōl| noun1 the object of a person's ambition or effort; an aim or desired result: "going to law school has become the most important goal in his life." • the destination of a journey: "the aircraft bumped toward our goal some 400 miles to the west".• literary a point marking the end of a race.

Goals seem a bit more realistic. A goal for me is more about the journey, about something I am striving for. Less pressure. I think we all need less pressure.

As we begin 2015 what are some goals you’d like to accomplish? Not resolutions but something you’d “like” to accomplish.

Here are some goals that may work for you;

Communicate in writing That means get a pen, paper, and a stamp and actually write a note or letter to someone. No one communicates in writing anymore. Everything seems to be via email or text. How about making a goal of writing to someone at least once a month? Nothing major.. maybe just a note letting someone know you’re thinking of them.

Show gratitude Our days fly by without us being grateful for the little things. Slow down, appreciate whats around you and be thankful. How about being thankful for food, shelter, security, warmth, rest and relationships? No a difficult goal.

Seek Opportunities Rather than waiting for events to present themselves, start by actively seeking opportunities to meet people, gather new ideas, learn more about your industry and just connect and share.

Keep Learning Read, take a community class, attend trainings, sign up for seminars, webcasts, ask questions, try new things and seek out people you’d like to emulate.

I think all of these “goals” are very doable. No pressure. There’s a lot of fluidity in the items listed. I’m sure you can develop others that are manageable and will work for you. So, go ahead. Come up with some doable goals. In the end, when you accomplish your goal(s), you will feel really great. =)

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Liz Birch

I'm a licensed Marriage & Family Therapist who works with individuals, couples and families. I hope I inspire you to take risks and step out of your comfort zone. You might be surprised what you discover.